[olecyn]

OCgirl and Hopeliveshere gave me food for thought yesterday.
Pat, I went on the RSD forum and there is soooo much info
I was reading and reading until I HAD to quit

I'm laid up today from making myself walk this morning and I guess yesterday's excursion.
Printed out a couple of stickies of RSD (THANKS to Jo55) and have a ?

Master P asked me what the difference is betyween fibromalagia and RSD
Can anyone simply state the difference?
The photos on the RSD looks like my foot and hand at times
However, the patient's photos are really bad like I remember you, Pat.
I thought all this achiness, stiffness, general malise, HA's and totally similar to my chemo type feeling or like a bad flu was fibro.

[beth]

Good question! I think because they are both chronic pain syndromes, a lot of the sx are similar - affected sleep, cognitive difficulties, TMJ, etc. The main difference is fibro is a muscular pain syndrome, where chronic pain affects the muscles, tendons and joints, as well as fatigue. Other sx follow, including nerve tingling/numbness occur as a result of the muscular pain/stiffness/cramping.

RSD's cause is still not clearly understood - but is thought to be either due to direct nerve injury (CRPS II) or microtrauma to nerve or soft tissue (CRPS I). It is a chronic neurological pain condition that is chiefly characterized by burning, shooting, or acid-like pain, along with abnormal sympathetic and autonomic nervous system responses. (Temperature change, allodynia, color change, hair loss, sweating, joint stiffness, skin lesions, etc).

There are similar sx, but separate causes.

[Jomar]

What I gathered from reading on the RSD forum as some of the most mentioned sx -

* extreme & painful sensitivity of the skin to touch, breezes, clothes
* swelling
* skin color, mottling & temp changes
* burning feelings
* can start in a small area and may spread or mirror to the matching side,
for some it may spread full body and include muscle spams and severe muscle lock ups. {the very advanced cases}

From what I've read on Fibro-
* more achy, flu like feelings, all over pain
* constant fatigue - cannot seem to get enough refreshing sleep
* some areas can be tender to touch but not like the RSD extreme sensitivities.

[olecyn]

You 2 are RIGHT ON
I went on the RSD forum as "Hopeliveshere" expressed
Never been on it before

I'm new to RSD/FM dx BUT THE SX'S ARE EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR 7 YEARS
And I'll be darned if the bad days are just like chemo bad days.
Thats how I tolerated it better than most
Here I just thought it was me and TOS all these years
As Dr. J says, TOS creates a slue of other conditions

As I researched a tad (BEEN IN QUITE A FLARE THIS WEEK)
Beth & Jo your words are exact as to what I highlighted for hubby
Muscle & joint pains, stiffness, FM *arthritic foundation
EVERYTHING else RSD
Started a file, not that I am aiming for ALL the sx's
Its good to know which is which

The question remains like TOS
HOW THE HECK DO I TREAT IT BETTER THAN I HAVE BEEN???
Started on a new probiotic Life balance and seemed to help until this week
Cut down on the cardio to find the balance

[HopeLivesHere]

Isn't it something how bad all these can make you feel? But we are survivors, eh?

Of course you know that even though each of these have their own set of symptoms -- your symptoms are individual and specific to You.

I find it helpful to know which symptoms I have for each separate diagnosis.
Then it is easier to know how to treat.
Your set of symptoms for RSD, TOS and Fm are your own.
If you can, write down the diagnosis and under each write the symptoms you have. Some will be in both if not all 3 columns.

Also I know which treatment helps, like for RSD I'd never choose massage or ice. If my arms are too heavy, i know it is tos and i put on my sling...or my fingers get numb.
I hope I haven't confused you. It's really easy when you have more than one diagnosis, let alone 3 !!!!!
Make sure symptoms are not a side effect of meds. Some meds cause muscle pain.
Last, be cautious of doctors who add on diagnosis. I know some doctors mention some symptoms are like MS and people automatically think they have MS. I hope this helps
Hope

[olecyn]

Never would go there on the MS
My best childhood friend has MS and WE have similar sx's
Like heat is an absolute NO
However, she feels NO pain
And her muscles are rubery where mine are just weak and hurt
She has tremors which are much more CNS causation
I get tremors but not like she does

Functional chronic pain quadrapledic/MS patient are we
Ho Ho he he its off to work we don't go!